PUBLIC NOTICEMINISTRY OF THE PRESIDENCYOFFICE OF CLIMATE CHANGEDraft Opt-In Mechanism PackageThe Ministry of the Presidency, through Office of Climate Change (OCC), is pleased to release the first draft of the Opt-In Mechanism Package. This version of the draft Opt-In Mechanism is now open for public review and is available for reference at: http://www.lcds.gov.gy/index.php/opt-in/draft-opt-in-mechanism-package

A team from Guyana will be travelling to Belgium to finalise negotiations on the European Union-Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (EU-FLEGT) Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA). The VPA seeks to certify Guyana’s forest products for export to the EU.

Georgetown, Guyana – (March 31, 2017) The Office of Climate Change (OCC) of the Ministry of the Presidency in collaboration with the Caribbean Community Centre on Climate Change (CCCCC or Five Cs), today, concluded a five day Caribbean Climate Online Risk and Adaptation TooL (CCORAL) training, which is geared towards assisting policy and decision makers to draft and design projects, particularly in the area of infrastructural development, which adequately integrate climate change, climate risk and climate vulnerability considerations.

The specially lit Earth Hour '60+' emblem, which was done using beeswax candles.Georgetown, Guyana – (March 26, 2017) The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Guyana Office in collaboration with the Office of Climate Change of the Ministry of the Presidency, the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) and several other organisations, last evening, observed Earth Hour 2017 with a special Lights Out Concert at the National Park.

Georgetown, Guyana – (March 22, 2017) Three students of the E.R. Burrowes School of Art were declared first, second and third place winners of the Office of Climate Change’s (OCC) Logo and Tagline Competition. They are Mr. Dillon Craig, who won the first place prize of $150,000, Ms. Herschelle Pellew the second place winner, who bagged $75,000 and Mr. Ransford Simon received $50,000 coming in at third place. The winners were presented with their cheques today at a simple ceremony at the school.

Georgetown, Guyana – (March 18, 2017) The Office of Climate Change (OCC), which falls under the purview of the Ministry of the Presidency, in collaboration with the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN), yesterday, visited three schools in East Berbice-Corentyne (Region Six) to continue its countrywide Climate Change sessions, which are aimed at educating students on the effects of the global phenomenon and Guyana’s pursuit of a ‘green’ agenda.

Earth HourYasmin Bowman is the Communications Specialist at the Office of Climate Change.Earth Hour is a global grassroots initiative which takes place annually at the end of March about spreading awareness on environmental issues in our global and local communities.

The Office of Climate Change took its awareness outreach, today, to the Sophia Special School, Dennis Street, Sophia. The awareness programme is a collaborative effort between the Office of Climate Change and the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN).

The intention of the programme is to raise awareness among students on climate change and its effects, and the role the students can play in helping to save the environment.

Guyana is among 10 countries that will be benefitting from a climate change adaptation programme that will be funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The agency, in collaboration with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) is financing the programme that seeks to tackle climate change challenges in Eastern and Southern Caribbean countries.

Head of the Office of Climate Change, Janelle Christian told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that in January, consultation meetings were hosted to discuss the way forward for Guyana with agencies from the agricultural sector, development partners, Civil Defence Commission (CDC) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).